Halloween Night
by Idiot Anonymous
Summary: Vladimir snorts, returning to his knees beside the final carcass he must finish while the one behind him dares to come closer. Truly, has that fool not already pushed enough limits for one night? Apparently not, as his master once again takes a seat directly next to Vladimir in spite of the growling that serves to warn Dmitri of his waning temper.


Posted this awhile back on Archive but oops forgot FF. Anyway, reminder again Dmitri is in Vladimir's lore, he is not an original character, and the design I use for him was made by the talented vladimirthecrimsonreaper on Tumblr.  
. .html  
. .html

-x-x-x-x-x-

Tonight is a little less peaceful than Vladimir would like, but all the same he goes to his usual spot to stare at the sky. There are not as many clouds out tonight, but there are a few that pass by every now and again to hide the moon for brief periods of time. He can already hear screaming of overly hyper little gremlins all over in the town below, no doubt lugging candy around as they run from home to home. Quite an interesting turn the holiday has taken, but he enjoys it no less given all the food it has provided him over the years. Children already have less foul tastes in their blood and flesh than adults do, but all that sugary food they consume makes them taste oh so much sweeter.

He turns his attention downward toward the city below, watching them scurry around as he has years prior while they dash from door to door. As usual this time of night, their parents struggle to stay close by and keep watch, as they very well should. They know there are real monsters lurking, both human and not, and they know should they look away for but a second one of those precious little bites will vanish without a trace. Well, there might be some cloth left in the woods somewhere, but in all likelihood it will not be discovered for nights if not months. Vladimir tends to eat the clothes anyway simply because it leaves nothing behind and a faint taste of the one which once wore them usually lingers. It all gets mixed up with the blood and meat, as clothing does not have much a taste on its own, so he sees no problems with it.

Vladimir hums, his breath manifesting in the cold night air; he prefers calmer nights, yes, but tonight is a special exception he guesses. He will have the perfect chance to steal a few tiny gremlins away and more than likely some human will take the fall or the crime will go unsolved. Kids running away during the dead of night with 'monsters' roaming the streets is not uncommon by any means, so they will probably assume each one got lost in the woods nearby or was found by some unsavory sort of human. Many of the creatures below refuse to believe Vladimir's kind and many other beasts exist, yet they keep their eyes peeled and generally some sort of weapon ready.

A short laugh escapes Vladimir, his fangs baring in a grin to show his amusement at the thought of some distressed parent whacking him with a bat or shooting him under the assumption it might actually deter him in the slightest. Sometimes he finds it fun to take the less subtle approach merely to see how the older livestock respond to their children being taken or even devoured before their helpless eyes. They might beg or plead, but usually they attack him only to find it does absolutely nothing for their plight. Always fun, even if he 'risks' being caught in the process.

As there have been more often in recent years, there are indeed legitimate monster hunters scattered down there in town just waiting for their chance to prove themselves. Most years all they get is a wolf mistaken for a greater threat or even a deer, much to the amusement of those still unwilling to believe. There have been some other, less intelligent creatures caught that looked far too human for it to prove anything in spite of the blaring DNA differences presented when tested. Many assume it is a hoax and nothing more, especially during this wonderful month.

Vladimir adjusts himself until he lies with his belly against the grass and leaves below him, his eyes locked on the sights below him but his ears attune to anything within range. He hears footsteps in an all-too familiar gait, not even bothering to look up at the one whom so will soon sit beside him, and chooses to ignore the other until he absolutely must acknowledge his visitor of sorts. The scurrying little children below are far more fascinating to him than anything the other might have to say, and possibly better tasting as well. He will have to see when he gets down to hunting rather than watching.

"My, my, you are out and about earlier than normal." The other male muses, no doubt smiling as he seemingly always is. "Has the sweet scent down there finally caught your fancy? They have been at it for hours already, you know." The one beside him shifts to sit cross-legged, but his master's attention stays firmly on him rather than the screaming little costumed beasts in the dimly lit roads far below. As per usual, the other male sits close enough Vladimir can feel the warmth of Dmitri's leg against his side; pleasant, even if the male himself is not always welcome company.

He huffs, briefly distracted by the leaf he ends up blowing away in the process but quickly snapping his attention back to the prey he has been eyeing the past several minutes. Dmitri no doubt holds back a laugh at such a loss in focus, earning yet another irritated exhale prior to speaking. "I am well aware, Dmitri, I merely wanted to wait until nightfall." Somewhat because he enjoys scenery under the moon's glow far more than its disgustingly bright counterpart, but also because it is easier to hide in the shadows. As for being up earlier, it is a special night and he wishes to hunt more than usual.

None of this, however, happens to explain why his master saw fit to come and bug him when the other male could be out doing his own hunting as he usually does. Dmitri tends to stash his own kills somewhere, as he knows full and well Vladimir will take whatever he can should his master happen to eat near him. Dmitri has 'tamed' him down somewhat from being so food possessive, but there is still a likelihood of aggression so the smaller male tends to err on the side of caution and stash extra somewhere else. Perhaps he already has done that and wishes to bug his protégé? One never knows with Dmitri.

His master nods and is most likely about to speak when Vladimir cuts him off with a question of his own, ignoring the possibility of being chided for interrupting his superior. "What, might I ask, are you doing out here? You always hunt before I get up, but you usually leave me be until I have eaten my fill and you deem it safe to come close." Oh, yes, and Vladimir might have overlooked mentioning how he used to try and devour his own master prior to once again being guided out of such behavior. It generally only occurred upon waking up and happening to run into the other male, but was no less a hazard when they considered how often Dmitri tries surprising his partner with a specially prepared meal first thing in the evening.

Judging from the slight shift in sitting position and the brief silence, Dmitri is a little surprised Vladimir took that into account. It has been awhile since the topic came up, but it has been just as long since his master has approached him prior to Vladimir having something to eat. No less, Dmitri hums quietly and most certainly nods. "Yes, I did consider that for a moment, but I am sure you are beyond such behavior. I believe you might still bite, but I doubt you will go all in like you used to."

Vladimir feels a gentle touch against his head, then a slow stroking motion after a brief pause as if to ensure the hand touching him would not be torn off. "You have advanced so much since we first met, my beloved Vladimir. My, it feels like mere years ago when you used to snarl at me simply for looking you in the eye! Now I am able to sit by your side when you have not eaten in hours and even share a meal with you at the table." Dmitri's satisfaction in such an achievement certainly shines through in his tone; Vladimir does not even have to look at the other male to know his fangs are bared in a wide smile and his eyes gleam with pride.

That said, the specification of 'at the table' is incredibly important, as if they were to take their meal in the woods with a fresh carcass before the two of them, then it is more than likely Vladimir would fight off the 'rival' male. They never take fresh food at the table, and never eat together in the woods. Dmitri has been working on it, but it is incredibly difficult to overwrite instinct. His master has done it many times over, but some things are more difficult than others.

At first, Vladimir thought he would despise what Dmitri has done to him, but…truth be told, he is far better off. A feral vampire has no place in this world anymore, and sooner or later Vladimir would have found himself on the wrong end of some disgusting monster hunter with an army of friends or a strategy-savvy beast. Dmitri was one such being, yet chose to take Vladimir on as some personal challenge rather than kill him as he so easily could have. His master still refuses to answer why, but it is all too obvious to him why they remain together now.

But, after all that expression of joy, Dmitri still turns that gentle petting into a slightly less gentle strike to the back of the head. Vladimir hisses in response, finally whipping around to look at his master, but does not lash out beyond that. "No interrupting me, Vladimir, you know better." Dmitri's tone is lighthearted, even if his message is far less so; he is dreadfully serious in what he says. Cutting in on a superior's dialogue is considered rude, apparently to the point where those especially low in their ranks could be killed for speaking out of place. Generally, however, that is only done when it is another species that does it, such as a human.

He grumbles all the same, returning his gaze to the city below. Hungry as Vladimir is, he tries his best to do what Dmitri suggested and wait a little bit to instead observe his prey and ensure no threats are around that could catch him off guard. It is incredibly difficult, and his stomach aches horrendously while the excess venom slowly dripping from his fangs reminds him he needs to bite something soon or those pains will get far worse. He swallows it when it fills his mouth too much, so it is not as if it is a burden to him at all, but it does not taste too pleasant.

The gentle petting returns again, even if Vladimir gives a low growl in a feigned protest; he enjoys it, but showing such would make him seem pathetic. "Yes, yes, I know. How about you go hunting or something useful instead of sitting around annoying me? We have many prime targets tonight and such little time left to harvest them." Oh, he can almost taste that sweet blood and flesh on his tongue-

"Why, Vladimir, you wound me!" Dramatic as ever, Dmitri brings the hand previously on Vladimir's head to his own chest as if to emphasis his point. "After all these years, you still hardly show any appreciation for what I have done for you! Even worse is the utter lack of affection, even if we both are well aware of the mutual feelings between us." He sighs, shifting around then leaning over to rest his chest to Vladimir's upper body as well as 'subtly' kiss the larger male's cheek.

After said kiss, Dmitri gently, almost cautiously, wraps his arms somewhat around his protégé. 'Somewhat' being due to the angle they are at and the fact Vladimir's body is almost completely against the grass except for his head which rests on his arms. Even so, his master insists on such moronic attempts at a hug and is quite content to rest his chin against Vladimir's neck and shoulder. "When you think about it, some of the only signs of love I get from you are during your mating season. Honestly, though, one can hardly call _that_ love no matter how… _heartwarming_ it may be." A pause, then he laughs. "That is, before you try tearing my insides out upon seeing through any attempts to get around your natural rivalry." Dmitri's left hand leaves its previous position to instead move some of Vladimir's hair behind his ear. "You have become far better at controlling yourself during such times, though, I must say." Again, Vladimir's master briefly kisses his cheek.

Vladimir huffs once again, sitting up despite his master's low whine and pout. "I was not the one whom so decided it was a wonderful idea to wear a vial of something mimicking the scent of a female." Whatever that stuff is in the little glass jar, conveniently able to be attached to a necklace no less, has a strong effect on him during said season. The stronger effects come when either blood is spilt or clothes are removed to reveal what his master tries to hide. Such is to be expected, however, and Dmitri should know better than to get so close…the other male, needless to say, is still working out the kinks during those months of training.

His master drops the pout after a few moments, then clicks his tongue to tsk him. "They are called pheromones, Vladimir, and you know if I did not you would tear me apart during those months. You try to once you notice I am male, as I said moments ago." Dmitri properly wraps his arms around the larger male's neck, easily hefting himself up to once again settle head beside Vladimir's own, his chin atop his own arm. "That is off topic, though, my beloved. As deeply as your words hurt," Vladimir rolls his eyes, "I will answer your question on the topic of my hunting. As per usual, I have already found my share and locked them away elsewhere. They are almost certainly still screaming as we speak, fresh as can be."

Oh, how tempting it is to try to find that little shed or bunker, but Vladimir returns his attention to the prey he has been watching so far. Now, why would a mere two adults watch over so many children at once? Humans truly are a special kind of foolish. Dmitri follows the larger male's gaze with ease, quietly laughing shortly after doing so. "My, aren't we hungry tonight. You know we can easily survive on far less food for long periods of time, hm? There is no reason to gorge yourself, Vladimir, and we both know you do not stash food. If past events are anything to go by, you eat it all in one sitting or until you cannot fit anything more in you."

Yes, he does remember that little fun fact, and all too well at that thanks to Dmitri's direct approach to teaching it. Starvation will not kill his kind, but it will torture them immensely, which his master must enjoy watching as it took long enough to end that 'lesson'. Vladimir grunts, tempted far more now than before to shake Dmitri off and begin his hunt. "I do remember that very clearly and doubt I will forget, but I figure I might as well on such an opportune night. Humans are spoiling themselves silly, and I believe I deserve it far more than they." Humans should not even be allowed to roam freely as they are now, and yet there they are. A little cut down on the population will not hurt them any.

Dmitri raises a brow and does not object outright, but seems amused no less. "True, true, I suppose you are correct in that regard. How many do you intend to catch?" Vladimir frowns in response; what kind of idiotic question is that? Why not ask if he wants to eat tonight as well, while he is at it? Dmitri realizes quickly enough he asked an incredibly dumb question and remedies it as best one can after such a thing. "Ah, I should have assumed as much! Very well, I will admit it was not the best question to ask one of your breed."

"Try _the_ worst question you could have asked me." Vladimir snorts, moving to stand while Dmitri reluctantly releases the larger male rather than continues clinging to his back. "I am going to eat." He has waited around long enough staring at his prey, and with his master bugging him all the while, so he considers it long enough for his usual training. Vladimir does not bother bidding his master farewell, he will see the other male later tonight after he has eaten, and instead starts his way down the sizable hill and into town.

They live quite a ways into the woods, and the mountains and hills nearby provide excellent vantage points from which to scope out prey if one has the patience to sit around all night. Vladimir prefers _usually_ to stay closer to town, but tonight he knew for certain there would be plenty of food out and about so he could spare some time to watch and do his ordered training. He did well, if he may say so himself, especially with Dmitri so close and he knows full and well the other male's blood tastes excellent; meanwhile, a bunch of sweet-smelling gremlins skittered about within scent and hearing range.

Leaves crunch beneath his boots the entire way, his hunger seeming to grow with each step he takes. Soon his claws will tear through flesh and his fangs will meet with bone, but until then he must hold out just a little longer until he finds then catches his prey.

-x-x-

Two adults, four children. It is not as much as he would have liked, but it will do for now. Vladimir easily lured the children away with the promise of candy, soon thereafter tying them up against the base of a tree while they squirmed and cried for their parents to rescue them. The parents would come soon enough, he knew this for certain, and merely waited in the shadows until they arrived moments later to try and free their scared offspring. When they bent down to untie the ropes, which Vladimir conveniently had found in someone's yard decorations, he attacked them.

The first one he aimed for the spine, immobilizing but not killing her simply to keep her out of the way. The male she had with her charged Vladimir soon after, only to fall when the human's belly is sliced open with a single swipe of his claws. His prey did not die from that, as expected, but collapsed in sheer agony and tried in vain to hold his insides from pouring onto the grass below. Vladimir was on him a second later, tearing further and further in to devour but not kill his first victim while the others watched helplessly.

Now that he presently has his victim incapacitated, Vladimir begins his usual rounds to keep his prey alive and kicking for as long as possible. The fresher the better, in his eyes. Speaking of the eyes, they are the first to go. Since most within the body keep his prey alive, he aims for the eyes and the tongue first which certainly earns plenty of screaming from not only his current meal but those gremlins and their mother as well. While he could use his teeth, Vladimir prefers his claws for digging into the sockets to remove what lies within them. Each one ends up between his jaws prior to him crushing it with a satisfying squish.

Next is the tongue, which he again uses his claws to remove with ease; no knife will outdo a vampire's natural cutting tool, this he knows for sure. No chewing is required, either, as it is easily swallowed down with minimal effort as he moves on with his routine. Vladimir then busies himself with any organ that will not kill which include but are not at all limited to kidneys, genitals, parts of the liver, and bits of the lungs. There is only so much until he runs out of things that will not finish off his victim, but said victim happens to pass out from the pain after some time anyway, so he supposes there is no sense in trying anymore then begins his usual pattern once his prey passes on or falls unconscious.

The remaining organs go first, they always do, not only due to taste but the nutritional value Dmitri has explained to Vladimir that they contain. Apparently, this is the reason he sometimes craves one thing over another when he hunts. After the organs are done, he moves to meat and bone while attempting to keep a somewhat even ratio when biting down to prevent having to gnaw on then swallow only bones later on. Clothing is eaten along with everything else, as Vladimir never has cared much for removing it prior to devouring his prey, especially when hungry.

Victim one is gone in well under an hour, leading on to victim two, the mother, then three, four, and five shortly thereafter. The children are devoured where they sit until a certain point in which he does eventually pull it from its bind against the tree only to end up shifting the kneecaps out of place and nearly dislocating the shoulders as he does this without untying said victim. He does not wish to free them until only one remains to avoid losing any of them, or having to kill one early, so pulling one out from against the tree seemed easier than untying, chasing, and retying. It causes a lot of screaming, but he lured them all far enough into his home turf that it does not matter how loud each one is. The louder they are, the better they taste.

Meal after meal he follows the same order to keep each alive as long as humanly possible; humans truly do not survive much trauma, and this is especially true for children. The weak things hardly stay conscious beyond a few vital organs being removed, though one of them stays awake beyond the point its father fell to an endless sleep. Its reward is, naturally, having its skull slowly crushed under his palm. Bone ends up piercing his hand as a result of using skin instead of his boot, but what can compare to such a wonderful feeling as a small skull being pressed into the grass until it cracks then gives way completely? Nothing, that is what.

His injury is not dire, he simply removes the bone stuck in his hand with his teeth prior to chewing it and swallowing it down with ease. He will save the head and its contents for later this time, his interest lies more toward everything remaining in this child's chest. Vladimir's teeth eagerly sink back into the tiny human's upper body, crushing the boney plate protecting the heart below it; he could easily go under said bone, but what fun is that? This human expired anyway, so it is not as if he is under the same restrictions he was before in terms of what he can and cannot eat. Probably for the best, too, as his teeth grazed the heart below more than enough to cut it open which would have killed the human after making a horrible mess and wasting far too much blood.

Bone is easily crushed down along with muscle, prompting Vladimir to tilt his head back and swallow a mouthful of his meal- then nearly choke on it upon hearing leaves crunching completely out of the blue and far closer than they should be. He stands up from his kneeling position over the corpse, recovering from his coughing quickly enough to snarl in the direction of those rather abrupt footsteps. He should have heard them from much further away…how did he not? His claws twitch every so often, anxiously waiting to once more sink into flesh and rend bone while brand new screams sound the forest alongside the rustling leaves of nearby trees.

Unfortunately, the one responsible for the footsteps makes himself known soon enough with his palms raised in mock surrender; of course it has to be him again. Vladimir snorts, returning to his knees beside the final carcass he must finish while the one behind him dares to come closer. Truly, has that fool not already pushed enough limits for one night? Apparently not, as his master once again takes a seat directly next to Vladimir in spite of the growling that serves to warn Dmitri of his waning temper.

As seemingly always, his master pays it no heed and does not move. Vladimir turns to glare at his companion and notes quickly the other so happens to be looking him over for one reason or another; likely, it is the clothes, but one never knows. Vladimir set his usual jacket aside prior to ambushing the parents so it would not get too dirty, leaving him now in a crimson turtleneck and black pants rather than his usual and far fancier attire. He did not feel like cleaning it after a hunt, so he left his nicer clothes at home as he generally does, but it seems Dmitri did not quite notice while Vladimir was lying on his belly and thus covering his different clothing.

His master does not say anything, though clearly wants to and only remains quiet to try and diffuse tension, so Vladimir forces himself to return to eating. If he can focus on something else, he should be able to calm himself down. Dmitri must have waited until most his meal was completed before deciding to bug Vladimir again, even having gone to fetch that necklace again to try and avoid what would have been a far more violent response regardless of no longer being hungry. A male is less likely to attack a female than a rival male, but females are no less threatening and will end up snapped at if not wary.

Dmitri covers his masculine scent well enough with sweet-smelling soaps and the like, then adds the female one in the form of his necklace. Vladimir knows he is male, but his body's instinctual response is slightly changed…especially due to the fact Dmitri _is_ considered to be his mate, and thus should not be attacked. When food is involved there is still tension, but it is less severe than it used to be thanks to relentless training and numerous attacks aimed at his determined master. The other male has a death wish, there is no other reason for it.

Sensing the worst is over, Dmitri gently bumps Vladimir's side with his shoulder prior to speaking once again. "My, my! How much did you catch? I can faintly discern five separate scents, but it is difficult with all the woodland smells mingling with them." The larger male frowns despite the bone between his teeth, his claws digging into his prey's thigh in an attempt to route his growing irritation. The bone within all that delicious meat snaps, its tiny structure unable to bear such pressure against it, but he remains silent all the same. How thick does Dmitri think he is? He knows this is a trap of sorts to urge Vladimir into telling how much he has eaten.

Before meeting Dmitri, Vladimir lived far inside the woods where humans are scarce and devouring any found is vital to sating hunger and thirst. Needless to say, after countless years of living in this manner, it was difficult to adapt when suddenly finding himself in a place where humans are abundant and there is no need to eat everything he can get his hands on. Sadly, he did just that many times over and ended up vomiting due to overindulging on fresh, plentiful meat. Dmitri was less than amused and started to closely monitor what Vladimir ate, at least until the larger male figured out how much he can handle.

Vladimir dislikes sharing such information, however, because there are times where he _almost_ reaches his limit and Dmitri scolds him over it. He huffs, shaking his head; he has stopped answering, though Dmitri does have his own ways of figuring it out anyway. Still, he prefers to have his master work for it seeing as the other male insists on being such a pain in his side- or, in this current case, his stomach. Vladimir hisses again, baring his teeth and digging his nails into the body before them, but dares not strike with his master's claws so close to his belly. His prey's carcass is definitely having a lot of its bones snapped before he even does it purposely…enough that he regrets that the tiny thing is already dead and unable to scream over it.

"Now, now, calm down. If you will not answer me, then of course I have to use another method of figuring out what you have been up to." Dmitri's tone is akin to a singsong one, to which Vladimir again huffs at while he restrains himself from tearing off his master's hand. "Be grateful I did not force you to heave it all back up again by pressing a little harder in a few places, hm?"

Grumble as he does, Vladimir does not do anything to halt his master's _freezing_ hand from probing his belly directly rather than doing so _outside_ of his clothing. "Next time wear gloves then take those off to touch me. Your hands are unpleasantly cold." He grunts, watching his smaller companion closely out of curiosity, not distrust; he knows Dmitri will not hurt him, but he wants to see what is going on. Something he sees instead is Dmitri pulling an odd expression in response to Vladimir's statement, as if he did not hear it properly or thought it meant something else entirely. He cannot place what that look means, but it is one he has not seen often.

Dmitri clears his throat for whatever reason, then nods as his usual smile returns. "I will remember that, though you could have avoided this altogether had you simply answered my question." He prods the larger male's stomach with a little more force as if to emphasis that, then stops completely for a short time. After that brief pause, he turns to a gentle rubbing motion to show his apology rather than speak it. "You did well this time, Vladimir, I am pleased to say the least! I expected to feel far more than I did in there."

Be it the fact a vampire's belly is _extraordinarily_ sensitive or the fact Dmitri wears that necklace of his to help mask his scent, Vladimir ends up holding himself back for a different reason than he is used to. Instead of refraining from biting and slashing, he resists licking and nuzzling his master in order to show his appreciation of the pleasant 'massage' he gets. Such a thing would be ridiculous and only serve to egg on the smaller male in tonight's odd behavior, yet…no, he should get back to eating.

Love Dmitri as he does, he has never been good at expressing such things to his master; a lot of his ways look more like how he interacts with prey. Licking, nipping, and often outright biting are common things one does, as giving blood to one's mate is one of the greatest feelings his kind can have. Whether or not Dmitri's breed shares this he is uncertain, and he does not wish to upset the one whom so has done so much for him. Instead, he gives another irritated huff and turns back to the corpse at his knees.

Being as sensitive as Dmitri is to emotional shifts betrayed by the heart, his master no doubt senses something is amiss but gratefully does not comment on it and instead removes his hand from beneath Vladimir's shirt. "I believe you may finish this one you have here without taxing your stomach too much. After this, I think you should avoid eating at least until bedtime to ensure you do not make yourself sick." He again uses his index finger to move some of Vladimir's hair behind the proper ear, his eyes again roaming to examine his protégé. "I am proud of you for not overhunting again, my Vladimir." He pauses briefly, then points a finger at his student prior to motioning to Vladimir's entire body. "I would also like to say your choice in clothing is impeccable. I wish I had noticed the change far sooner than I have! It looks marvelous on you!"

Easy to excite, as always. Vladimir is no less flattered by such compliments and does give his master a brief grin, but he returns his focus to his prey soon after this. If he is not mistaken, Dmitri makes a pleased sound for whatever reason- "I am also proud of you for letting me close to you while you eat, my beloved. At this rate, with a few more sessions, I believe I might be able to safely try this without the aid of my necklace to keep you calm." For once, Vladimir agrees with this prediction in progress.

Long ago, Dmitri merely being near him would set him off and trigger an attack; it took time to figure out what caused it, but Dmitri solved that puzzle easily enough with that jar containing a strong female scent. Once more, Vladimir is aware of Dmitri's true gender, but it keeps his horrifically violent impulses at bay for the most part when it comes to being near another male of his species. It took time, but now his master has no need of that jar outside of risky training sessions such as around food or the entirety of spring and summer.

Vladimir hums, his attention back to Dmitri's previous food statement rather than the praise he received. He has never exactly tried this before, minus a few times at the table, but it might please his master given how happy Dmitri seems tonight for some reason or another. He is unsure why exactly the smaller male is in such a cheery mood tonight, even compared to normal, but no less this might be another thing to add to it. "Oh?" He pauses briefly, trying to figure out his wording without sounding like an utterly pathetic lesser-beast. "What if I allowed you to have some? If I did that, when could I eat again?"

Truth be told, Vladimir does not care so much about the answer as he does the reaction from his master. He hopes to make his companion happier and thus receive more praise, but the initial reaction is more one of absolute shock than anything remotely close to joy. It amuses the larger male, needless to say, especially when Dmitri sits there wide-eyed prior to blinking a few times; as if that would help his hearing any. Vladimir shrugs, then turns away only to have his attention drawn back when his master finally finds his voice again. A rarity for Dmitri, he must say.

"You would be able to eat a fair few hours sooner, but are you certain you wish to do this?" Dmitri's smile seems far brighter, so to speak, and his eyes are just as much so. Vladimir has never once offered this, not in all the years they have been together, which is exactly why he hopes his master appreciates such generosity. He is not being weak, he is merely being nice. His companion swallows, for what cause Vladimir cannot be sure, then glances between the larger male and the corpse in front of them. His master has a question, it is painfully obvious, but bites his tongue for some reason or another.

While his claws dig into the soil beside him, Vladimir nods to once more confirm his offer is true; it is…difficult, relinquishing some of his kill to another, but Dmitri used to hunt for him when he was unable to control himself in crowds. This is, in a way, a small gesture of gratitude. After all, this _is_ a holiday for giving sweets to others, yes? Dmitri would enjoy candy as well, which Vladimir does have in the buckets tossed aside from the children, but that can be handed over later.

Dmitri still looks surprised, even slightly hesitant to proceed, but seems delighted no less. "Ah, you are so kind, my Vladimir!" He turns his interest to their prey, appearing as if trying to decide what he would prefer, then pauses with a hand partway to their meal. Vladimir initially assumes this is tentativeness, likely spurred by the larger male holding back _most_ of a growl, but instead his master chooses to speak once again. "I apologize, Vladimir, I did not think to ask! Did you mean to have me share your meal by carving it as you do, or did you intend to use the method your breed favors when sharing food with their mates?"

Without missing a beat, which is both for better and worse, Vladimir gives his reply in a fairly deadpan tone as if to explain the obvious. "You mean we cannot do both?" It…was not his intent, but what has been said is said and there is no taking it back now. So long as his master does not keep asking him for permission over something he has already granted permission for, Vladimir will be content. That said, he has never had experience with feeding another as his breed commonly does which means he might end up executing it rather poorly. Practice is key, and Vladimir has never had the opportunity to do so.

He glances briefly at his master, more to check the other's expression- Vladimir turns right back, his full focus on deciding if he is seeing things or not. Dmitri is _allowing_ his cheeks to show a faint pink color, something that he _never_ does yet now is showing freely. Neither male does this, both easily able to control such a response with their blood magic, as it can be perceived as expressing weakness to most beings, but...Dmitri allows it this time for whatever reason. Vladimir is unsure why, but Dmitri's continuous odd behavior tonight is throwing him off. What is wrong with his master? The other is rarely as open with his feelings as he is now.

"My, my, you can be quite charming when you put some thought into it! I will most certainly take you up on that sometime tonight, my sweet." Dmitri flashes his fangs in a wide grin, displaying a fair amount of pride despite his face showing a far different emotion. Who would have thought Vladimir of all beings could flatter his smaller companion? "I cannot begin to express how pleased I am that you are able to offer such things." It is not nearly as easy as he makes it sound, that is for sure.

As much as Vladimir wants to ask _why_ his master is acting so strange, he instead chooses to shake the thought and return to eating. His master is always strange, and perhaps he is just taking note of it more often than usual tonight because of the holiday taking place. Humans are already being weird, so maybe he is expecting the same of others? He is unsure, but decides to drop it. "Do whatever you want." Simple, but it is his best choice in response for now.

Soon enough his teeth are _finally_ back into the corpse before him and he is able to scoop up a mouthful of flesh, blood, and bone. Most of the blood was removed, but traces of it remain in parts Vladimir did not care to extract it from using magic or the usual method of bleeding out prey via punctures using his fangs. He enjoys leaving small amounts to flavor things and help the flesh from getting too dry for his taste. He avoids getting most of his face messy by aiming for the upper body for now, but no less ends up with blood trickling down the sides of his mouth just about every time he sits back up to swallow. It never has bothered him, however, and he merely leaves it be then leans down for another bite. He would end up with crimson on his face again anyway, so why clean it now?

Dmitri, meanwhile, uses his clawed fingers rather than his teeth to carve meat from bone, and his hands rather than his mouth to pick it up _then_ chew and swallow. Such an odd male, but to each their own he supposes. His master has always been more 'refined' in his actions, eating included, and prefers to avoid getting messier than required. He seems to favor the legs and feet tonight, likely due to the amount of muscle, and avoids the bones for now minus small ones easily popped into his mouth for him to chew at his leisure.

For some odd reason or another, Dmitri licks his fingers and hands clean between each chunk of flesh removed, yet ends with them both covered in gore moments later anyway. Why bother cleaning when he is simply going to get them dirty again a second later? Vladimir shakes his head, disguising it as using extra force to remove an especially stubborn hunk of muscle on the throat, then returns his focus to his own actions…mostly.

Even if he has no need to, or desire to, Vladimir is driven to keep an eye on his current dining partner as he continues finishing up the neck and shoulders of his meal. Perhaps it is his mind's way of ensuring he gets enough to eat if ever forced to share a kill with some other beast, but this is no time for such things. He has had plenty, though he will gladly take more, and there is no need to monitor how much of his kill Dmitri takes. It is a struggle not to chase the other male off, even while his scent is that of the opposite sex, but at the same time he feels pleased to provide for his mate. It is not a grand gesture, or an obvious one, but to his breed it is a high honor. To Dmitri, it will likely go unnoticed.

Vladimir sits back up, downing what remains of the child's skull and the contents within after having finished the upper body, then glancing around to ensure nothing happens to be lurking nearby. Having Dmitri around makes him a little on edge, though Vladimir hates to admit it is more for his master's safety than his own, even if the other male is generally treated as and mildly considered a nuisance to him. Such contradictory feelings are common for him lately, but that seems to be how it is for a creature trained out of its natural way of thinking. Vladimir is grateful, even if it does cause him some inner conflict sometimes.

Fearless as always, and rather out of the blue, Dmitri leans against Vladimir's side as well as sits up somewhat on his knees to gently grip the larger male's closest shoulder- he blinks, holding back a confused frown out of concern over his master assuming it is a hint toward impending aggression. His master has warned him about this many times, so Vladimir tries to watch what he does when Dmitri is so close to him, especially now that food is thrown into the mix, but he almost does not catch it thanks to his mind's attempts to work out such odd behavior.

Something warm and wet that most certainly is no longer blood slides from his chin to the corner of his mouth, replacing the previous warm and wet trail that took the opposite route. Dmitri's breed does not lick terribly often, so it is a surprise when it happens and causes some uncertainty from the larger of the two. Why would his master be doing this now? Surely the other male is not _that_ hungry, especially with a whole prey item to choose parts from, yet what else could it be? Generally, he only ever mimics Vladimir's behavior when he wants a reaction or attention of some sort…that is not to say this is what the larger male does when they eat, but instead only referring to the licking.

Vladimir chooses to ignore it and bends down to begin eating once again, his sharp teeth slicing meat while his jaws crush bone with ease; ribs are not strong to begin with, so it is not a great feat. He sits upright again as he starts chewing, mostly to crush the bone into smaller pieces so it will not cut his throat on the way down, and is easily able to swallow by the time he is back upright. He marks such by tilting his head back again, a habit Dmitri always finds amusing while Vladimir cannot figure out what is so strange about giving what he thinks is a straighter path down his gullet.

As usual, his master utters a small laugh at the head tilting thing while Vladimir huffs and refuses to reply to such childish behavior. Not so usual, Dmitri again sits up on his knees what little he must to lap at any blood that happens to stain Vladimir's face. Most of it is along the cheek and at the chin due to gnawing at the ribs and sticking his face into the chest cavity, but there is a small amount at his nose and even forehead judging from the warmth he feels there before and after Dmitri gets to it.

Grooming is normal bonding behavior for their kind, especially Dmitri's, but Vladimir has never seen his master do this while eating. Typically, they put time aside for it during a bath or before bed and that's that, though sometimes there might be more if neither have anything else to do. Yet, never has the smaller male dared attempt such a thing while Vladimir is actively eating…likely it is to avoid altercations, but no less it is an odd change.

That said, something feels different about all of this anyway. What is wrong with his master tonight? Vladimir shakes his head somewhat, earning an oddly disappointed sound from Dmitri, then bends down again to take another bite. Perhaps he should just stay down while he eats to avoid Dmitri's strange behavior for a bit longer. He does enjoy it, but he would prefer to know why the other male is doing such things now of all times. Dmitri has been a little strange all night, as he has noticed for a few hours now, but Vladimir is not at all sure as to why.

So, he focuses on eating instead to ease his belly's pain as well as the burning in his throat. Vladimir again rakes his claws against the corpse, pulling flesh from the ribs as he does prior to using his teeth to remove it from the corpse then swallow it; the insides are already done, so now he is back to the less interesting but no less tasty bits. His claws easily puncture the muscle between some of the ribs, his thumb set a few bones down from his four other fingers, then clenches his fist to snap the fragile things.

A bit more crunching mixes rib with flesh remaining inside the body, thus making it easier to get bone and flesh in the same bite rather than gnawing and crunching on only bone. Vladimir finds it far tastier that way, but any which way will do so long as he gets as much as he can. This is his fifth corpse, a mere two of those being adults, and while he has slowed down from the initial frenzy, he is by no means near finished. He will not likely hunt again tonight, as per his master's wishes, but he will certainly devour what he has caught.

During this time, he stays low to the ground to delay any strange behavior from the smaller male beside him; should it happen again, he will ask about it. Vladimir has been holding off on questioning his master merely out of thinking he might be imagining stranger behavior than normal, but more and more he is coming to the conclusion it is by no means a misunderstanding- especially with the quiet purr from Dmitri as the other male presses against Vladimir's side as if trying to warm up. Dmitri cannot possibly be _that_ cold, even if any pitiful human would be in such frigid temperatures, so it must be something else.

Vladimir sits up, staying still a few seconds to confirm if his master will yet again decide to clean his face as the other seems so fond of doing tonight. Dmitri does after mere seconds of waiting, which pushes Vladimir to finally ask what he has been wondering this entire night. "Is something amiss, Dmitri? You have been acting…peculiar all night. You have been far more," he struggles for the word here, though his master gratefully is finished licking him so that helps him focus, " _expressive_ tonight than you generally are." To be completely blunt, it feels like something one might do if they planned to leave or were going to die…neither of which are appealing options.

Dmitri maintains eye contact, but stays silent for a short time to ponder his words or perhaps try to figure out what he has done oddly if he has not noticed it. Again, one never knows with Dmitri. Soon enough, he finds his voice, albeit a far quieter volume than he usually takes. "I have not upset you, have I? By insisting to be near you, I mean." While not a tone of insecurity, it certainly holds a different sound that Vladimir is unfamiliar with; it is not sorrow, pain, or timidity that he can tell. Dmitri gives him another sample of that odd vocal pitch soon enough, though at a more normal volume. "I understand if you need space given you are unused to constant company throughout the night, and I will gladly leave you be if you need some time to yourself."

This…does not answer his question. Vladimir shakes his head, leaning forward slightly as if to get a better look at his master; truth be told, it is partially to try and intimidate the other. It does not work, but it was worth a try. "No, I am not upset, I am confused. I do not understand why you followed me all night unless it was to train me around fresh meat, but even then your actions have been not at all what they usually are in a training situation. Blushing, grooming, rubbing up against me, and the list goes on, as do the questions I have as to why."

Such uncertainty in words is unlike his master, but many things tonight have that in common so he allows more time for Dmitri to get his bearings and figure out how to respond. It takes a little time, and his master shifts to sit facing Vladimir rather than their prey, but he finds his preferred wording soon enough. "Did what I have done tonight inconvenience you? Did you dislike any of it?" Once more, not part of Vladimir's question.

"That was not at all what I asked, Dmitri." Vladimir turns his sitting position to mirror Dmitri's, though he does so happen to lean forward with a hand on either side of his master's legs. This is, again, to try and daunt the other male but once more does nothing to unnerve his smaller companion.

His master nods, "I am aware, but I need to know your opinions on what I have done tonight." Vladimir huffs, though he is close enough to move Dmitri's hair a bit rather than some leaf on the ground; it still manages to catch his attention to a lesser extent. His companion raises his palms in a mock defense, though there is less feeling behind his usual antic. "I will answer you, Vladimir, but I must insist you humor me and give me your thoughts beforehand."

Silence. Vladimir refuses to speak, and Dmitri will not answer until- "Please, my beloved Vladimir, I promise I will explain myself if you tell me what I need to know." Begging? Truly? This is not at all like Dmitri, not in the least. If he had acted at all like this when they had first begun interacting then he would have gutted the smaller male for being so pathetic. These days Vladimir will let it slide, but it shows poorly for the one whom he depends on…perhaps it is thinking like that which causes his master to hide reactions as he so often does.

But, Dmitri _is_ his master and he owes the smaller male a lot more than answers to a few simple questions. Vladimir gives in, sighing as he shakes his head, "No, I did not necessarily dislike what you did, I am only confused as to why you have done it." The complete truth is that he rather enjoyed it, but once more he needs to be strong…especially with his master acting so bizarre.

A relieved sigh escapes Dmitri immediately, his smile returning in a far more genuine way than mere moments ago; was it truly so important to hear that? Apparently so. "That is good, thank you, my Vladimir." He briefly glances at Vladimir's attempt at frightening him by sitting as the larger male does, but once again all but ignores it beyond that. "As for your question on my behavior, it is something of a sentimental night for me. It will seem silly to you, but for me- no, for _us_ , it is incredibly important."

Vladimir is still lost, showing such by furrowing his brow somewhat; Dmitri laughs, quiet as always, and nods. "I did not expect you to remember, do not worry over it!" Again, his master's demeanor changes to a far happier one, similar to earlier, and his companion's tone mimics such. "Tonight marks the night we met, and I am endlessly happy we have remained together all these years in spite of numerous odds stacked in favor of the opposite occurring."

That would explain a lot, come to think of it, but…"Why is it such a joy for you? Tonight is a marker in which my life was spared and I gained a new home, but I fail to see how any of it benefits you in any way. If anything, it took valuable time and effort away from your previous projects." Vladimir dislikes admitting such, but it is the easiest point to make. Why on earth would Dmitri ever want to celebrate such a night? His master lost all of his free time for _years_ , yet seems delighted.

Dmitri shakes his head, once again allowing another emotion to show in the form of something between mild distress and amusement. "No, no! You are by no means a negative impact on my quality of life, Vladimir! You are the exact opposite of a burden, I will never stress this enough!" His master, in yet another strange action, briefly cups Vladimir's face prior to kissing the larger male. He blinks, stunned, but is freed from both that kiss and Dmitri's hands within a few moments. "Being alone for your breed is normal until finding a perfect mate, which naturally can take decades or more, so you having lived by yourself for so long did not affect you in terms of emotional stress. In fact, it was more demanding on your mind to become accustomed to living with another of your kind. For me, however, the reverse is true."

"When I was separated from my family during that upheaval, I was left completely alone for the first time in my life. I would be lying if I said I was never scared, and it would be utterly false if I said I handled it well. I was lonely, my dear Vladimir, and I was miserable." Dmitri pauses as if to check if Vladimir is still listening, as occasionally long stories will lose his interest, but the large male is quite keen on hearing this tale. "For years I never found another of my own kind until I met you, and you gave me such hope that perhaps I might have a companion after all…only to find you were so wild you would never wish to speak with me. Truth be told, I was more interested in something to do than actually bringing you to a more 'civil' state of mind, but it worked out well, I think."

Vladimir again makes no move to speak, giving Dmitri a little more time to decide if he wishes to continue or leave his tale there. Thankfully for Vladimir, he does keep going after some thought. "I thought perhaps the affection I began to hold for you was unreciprocated, especially given how cold you tend to be, but I believed you would have left me long ago if you did not feel _something_ for me. I believe the same now, my darling Vladimir." Dmitri does not have to sit up this time, as Vladimir is still hunched toward the smaller male, so the swift kiss to Vladimir's cheek is a little more sudden than it would have been. Though that kiss ends, Dmitri keeps his lips close to Vladimir's ear. "I have done what I have tonight to try and see if perhaps you feel the same way I do. I have doubted my assumptions due to your disinterested behavior, so I thought perhaps tonight would be perfect to try and figure it out."

'Disinterested'? 'Cold'? Vladimir is by no means an excessively affectionate being, but he has never considered his conduct to be negative or even neutral in terms of their relationship with one another. He even refers to the other as his mate…but has never said it out loud, has he? Even once? Perhaps there is more ground for Dmitri's doubt than he had thought. He certainly knew a few of his romantic gestures would be misunderstood, but it seems Dmitri has missed a majority of them entirely. It seems they have both greatly misunderstood just how different their backgrounds are, and thus what they interpret as what.

That said, there were hints even Dmitri should have caught on to. "I remember you sourcing my seasonal behavior, but you seem to have completely overlooked the fact that if I did not consider you as my mate then I would not act as I do." His master very slightly tilts his head, clearly not catching on to what Vladimir is saying, so the larger male continues. "If I did not think we are a pair, I would try to court you rather than outright mate with you. You _are_ the only 'female' I am in range of, so I naturally go to you first and it has not been to court since the first twenty seasons or so. This is not counting when I still refused to speak with you, of course…and this is only considering behavior _before_ I tried to kill you."

His master appears lost in thought for a fair few minutes, then slowly nods as his expression turns from confused to pleased once more. "I will admit I never did notice that, my Vladimir. Everything during such seasons makes far more sense now that you mention it. Even if you attacked me upon noticing I was indeed male despite my smell, actions prior to that were amiable. I must say, you are getting much calmer now during such times, considering currently you try to chase me away rather than dismember me completely."

Though Vladimir's companion laughs, Dmitri shakes his head soon thereafter, likely irritated with himself for not taking note of such a thing sooner. "I apologize for my behavior tonight-" Dmitri abruptly ceases speaking with a startled gasp to take the place of his words, his heart rate spiking with a brief mixture of fear and surprise when the front of his coat is grabbed by his larger companion. Quiet as Dmitri falls due to such an action, he by no means neglects to prepare himself in case of a fight. One of Dmitri's hands is set on Vladimir's shoulder, likely with the intent to retaliate if needed; thankfully for Dmitri, it will not be required.

Vladimir's breed is not used to kissing, which is one reason he never tries it, so it seems only natural that what he does is not exactly turn out 'normal', per say. He tries, but his form of a kiss ends up closer to a mild bite than a kiss, or at least he thinks it does. Dmitri knows the difference better than he, but the other male does not complain when Vladimir's fangs click against his master's smaller ones or even when the larger male's tongue quite eagerly takes in the taste of his master's mouth. His companion had to open is maw in the first place, so in all likelihood he expected that to happen.

While he never has kissed his master on the lips prior to this, and it shows in some of his uneasy movements, he must say he _adores_ the taste he gets by doing this and somewhat regrets not trying sooner. Dmitri's usual taste is mixed with human blood, his master's saliva, and human meat, making it that much better to him than what it would be on its own which is certainly saying something in his case. There is a small hint of Dmitri's blood mixed in, telling Vladimir he must have grazed the other male somewhere along the line, but neither seem to care much. His companion certainly seems far happier than he did mere moments ago, which is good enough feedback for Vladimir to continue.

His master utters a pleased hum, or perhaps it is a sigh, and reclines slightly when Vladimir pushes forward; this is not prey, he has no need to be so forceful, but he cannot seem to help himself. Dmitri does not mind and makes it clear by loosely wrapping his arms around Vladimir's neck to draw him closer, or keep him close, yet avoid hitting any sensitive areas. The neck is a receptive part for any vampire, and so this is likely done more to respect any boundaries Vladimir might have rather than to avoid hurting him. At least, this is what the larger male assumes knowing what he does of his master.

Dmitri ends up on his back quickly enough, but does not seem to care in the slightest regardless of what general 'rules' state when it comes to conduct between a dominant and subordinate vampire. Dmitri holds some rules in a stricter regard than others, yet all are followed in one way or another as per his upbringing's dictation. Vladimir grew up far differently and thus knows some but not all of those strange, tacked on rules that the more social breeds added to make things more difficult. Truth be told, a feral vampire's code of conduct with another is close to a royal's, if only far more black and white than theirs happens to be.

Soon enough Vladimir decides it best to end their kiss on the off chance his master's approval of such actions is running thin, licking his lips after he does to remove stray blood or saliva. Dmitri's taste is incredible, far better than any human which Vladimir never considered possible, so it is rather obvious to both parties involved that his mouth ended up watering in response to such. His master merely laughs, his cheeks tinged faintly with pink, even while he tries to catch his breath. He continues his quiet, cheerful sounds as Vladimir shifts to lapping at the blood on Dmitri's lip from earlier. The larger male did not intend to cut his companion with one of his teeth, but it does not seem to bother his master in the least.

Oddly, Dmitri encourages such behavior in that he pulls Vladimir a little lower thanks to his arms at his protégé's neck. The charge in question does not mind this gentle hug of sorts and quickly cleans up the mess he caused, yet sees fit to continue 'cleaning' Dmitri's cheek. His master, without a doubt unused to such behavior outside of a certain season, does squirm a bit under Vladimir but otherwise seems to enjoy it. His breed does not use their tongues to express affection as often Vladimir's breed does, with the rare exceptions generally being intimate interactions between mates or occasionally grooming amongst family or _very_ close friends, but no less understands full and well the meaning behind it.

Vladimir utters a throaty purr to express his own enjoyment of the situation, seeming to surprise his partner for a moment due to how quiet he has been as of a few minutes ago. No less, Dmitri's heart and body betray just how thrilling he finds such an unusual sound; his heart speeds up for a moment, his body fails to hold back a shudder. Dmitri can and does purr, yes, and he can reach fairly deep tones for him, but Vladimir's range dips far lower. Reversely, his master's tones are higher but no less effective in getting across what needs to be said, so to speak- much like how one of Dmitri's knees rubs Vladimir's side without a comment to accompany such an action, and a bold one at that.

While Dmitri has been plenty strange all night, and this is not exactly normal behavior for the two, Vladimir still cannot help the sharp intake of air that marks his shock at such an…unexpected act. His master gets a good laugh out of it, though he can hardly judge with his face as flushed as it is, and pets Vladimir's hair as if to apologize for startling him. He simply did not expect such a thing to be done by a male that is usually so composed.

After that, Vladimir moves to 'clean' his master's chin and then neck, thoroughly enjoying how cheerful Dmitri sounds regardless of being helplessly pinned under and thoroughly tasted by a far larger being. Who could have guessed his companion would enjoy being forced into such a vulnerable state? Fun as it is making his master squirm by tracing Dmitri's jugular with his tongue, Vladimir soon realizes switching to the neck was probably not his brightest move as his temptation to bite increases far more than he expected it to. He _should_ have known, but it had slipped his mind just how strong the desire to physically mark his mate can get, _especially_ considering he already has a fairly decent scent warning in the form of his saliva. This is not to mention the delectable drink, which he finds he favors over any other, he would get should his fangs sink into such vulnerable flesh.

Deciding he should likely stop to prevent anything unsavory happening, Vladimir halts his own version of showing fondness of another as suddenly as he started it up. He cannot, however, bring himself to move his mouth too far from Dmitri's throat. His quickened breaths, no doubt quite warm against Dmitri's otherwise chilled skin regardless of their tolerance of the cold, acting as a warning to how close he is to turning his master into yet another snack for tonight. He wills himself to leave his master be- even if it gets a whole lot tougher to do so.

Dmitri makes such attraction far worse by moving his own hair out of the way while tilting his head to give his protégé far more unobstructed space to bite. As much as Vladimir would love to, it is best to avoid doing something they both might regret later on. It is not in his place to do such a thing, no matter how desperately he wants to leave his mark on such delightfully soft skin. Strangely, Dmitri appears faintly disappointed by Vladimir's choice, but does not speak on the matter.

"My, if I did not know you better, I would think you were trying to eat me rather than kiss me. How can you be so hungry after all you ate?" Dmitri's tone is still lighthearted as it most always is, which gratefully prevents Vladimir from taking those comments entirely the wrong way and becoming offended by them…mostly.

As much fun as he had, there is a slight irritation that strikes Vladimir and causes another grunt as he sits up from his previous position of looming over his smaller companion. The arms around his neck let go to allow it, even if the owner of them seems reluctant about it. "Remind me never to try kissing you ever again." Despite knowing Dmitri as long as he has, the only other times he has kissed his master were brief and on the neck or cheek; the tally counting tonight's mishap is about four. Keeping in mind they have been together for somewhere around a century and most would find that number extremely small, almost impossibly so.

The other male shakes his head, sitting up as he does and not even attempting to hide the hurt expression that takes over from his previously joyful one. "No, no, Vladimir, I do not mean to discourage you! I liked it, even if you clearly thought your attempts were lackluster at best." Sharp as Dmitri's claws are, he gently runs them along Vladimir's cheek without drawing a single drop of blood until his thumbs meet with the bottom of Vladimir's jaw. Once there, he stops to hold his protégé's face with the utmost care. "I love you dearly, my Vladimir, and I adore just as much any and all ways you express your affection to me in return."

Another short pause, then that sly grin Vladimir scarcely has seen since Dmitri ceased his 'crueler' forms of punishment and training. "In fact, I look forward to your previous offer on sharing your meal with me." But he already- then it clicks, thankfully before he opens his mouth to say something stupid. Vladimir had honestly no intention of offering such a thing, granted how many ways he can mess it up, but apparently Dmitri enjoys the idea enough to remind him that he did indeed suggest it. "By the way, I have been meaning to ask why it is your breed practices such an odd method of feeding one another."

Vladimir frowns, almost causing his master to apologize over an offensive question no doubt, but quickly silencing the other by answering said question instead of ranting about it. "Imagine trying to carry a bloodied carcass through a forest of starving monsters without your kill being taken and you possibly becoming food along with it. It is far easier to eat what one can _then_ share it with one's family once safely out of harm's way." He shrugs, trying not to let the look of admiration from his master go to his head. That look is probably due to hearing about life far deeper in the woods as opposed to close to human towns. "Also, it is far easier to carry multiple prey items that way. Sometimes I think you forget our insides are far different from a human's and you assume our stomachs are the same size. Larger stomach, stronger acid, shorter intestines, less chance for bacteria to thrive."

"Like a cat." Dmitri says this rather bluntly, especially for him, but his tone is still cheery as always in spite of the glare he receives from Vladimir for comparing their species to a feline. "That was to the gut thing, by the way, and I do not forget, my darling Vladimir. It is more that I still cannot fathom how you fit so much inside you…and then continue to be hungry even after such a feast! Do not forget, I am the one who taught you all you know of vampire and human biology." He then, once again, gives a not-so-gentle smack to the back of Vladimir's skull and does not so much as wince when the larger male snaps his jaws millimeters from Dmitri's face. "Do not interrupt me, my dear. Anyway, to before, it sounds quite similar to what dragons, jackals, and other creatures will do for their young or injured…I never thought about applying such reasoning to your kind."

The larger male grumbles again, rubbing his head as he complains prior to speaking up in a far more audible volume. "Whatever helps you remember it, just do not compare me to such disgusting beasts." Dmitri again raises his palms in mock defense, quickly calming Vladimir down to a reasonable level. Now to move far from that topic to prevent any more irritating statements; Dmitri always suggests to try and avoid what throws him into a fit, so Vladimir tries his best to do just that.

He intended to ask this before, prior to the whole kissing thing, however Dmitri seemed so down and he perhaps lost himself in his own idiotic idea, so it went forgotten. Might as well do it now that they are sharing everything. "How long has it been since we first met? A century?" Vladimir is not exactly good at keeping track of time given he has no need to, but he tries to roughly guess regardless of the fact.

Dmitri seems mildly surprised, no doubt due to how out of nowhere such a question came up, but smiles no less and seems pleased to be asked such a question. "It has been two hundred and ten years since we first encountered each other, my Vladimir." …Oh. Well, he was not even close. While Vladimir does not exactly feel guilty over not remembering such an important time, he feels foolish for being so off the mark while his master was easily able to remember the exact date and number of years that have passed.

With another laugh, Dmitri waves it off rather quickly. "Do not fret over it, my beloved! I am used to keeping track of dates due to how often I mingle with humans, and it was a necessity back when I was with my family, but I know you have no such reason for counting nights as I do." He allows another brief pause, then scoots forward the slightest amount; he seems slightly anxious, and even the _tiniest_ bit nervous as he speaks again. "While we are talking about long periods of time and memorable moments, I would like to add it has been quite some time since we last slept together. Perhaps, if you do not object, when we get home we may share a meal then our bed, hm?"

Vladimir, who had shifted his sitting position back to facing the corpse while Dmitri waved off the previous mistake, furrows his brow to display his confusion. He notices but does not acknowledge his master rather casually moving to sit in his lap prior to Dmitri's legs wrapping around his waist and arms around his torso, and he certainly does not comment on the light purring sound made as his master moves about. "For one, we hardly ever sleep in a separate bed to begin with, hence 'our' bed; two, we just woke up and it is not even remotely close to our sleeping hours. Perhaps all of this strange behavior has tired you out, but…" he trails off here, scarcely holding back a sneer when Dmitri starts snickering. What is it now?

He is given time to think, and a lot of effort is put into not shoving Dmitri into their dinner so temptingly lying before them, but comes up with nothing for quite some time. It simply does not make any sense- wait. Vladimir scoffs, shaking his head, "Why would you use an idiotic human saying rather than asking outright? Not to mention it is one that makes _no_ sense whatsoever. Stop laughing, it is a wonder I even understood what you meant at all." His master does, for the smaller male's sake, stop laughing at such a disgustingly foolish wording of an otherwise simply worded question. Dmitri needs to cease contact with humans outside of hunting, that is all there is to it.

As if to prove how stupid he is, Dmitri once again sticks his hands up Vladimir's shirt prior to settling them on his belly; Vladimir tenses at first, but relaxes fairly quickly this time. "I thought it was amusing, especially that look of incomprehension on your face. I should use human sayings more often if they will get such an adorable reaction each time!" His protégé snorts, but does the best that the large male can to avoid responding by sinking claws into Dmitri's spine or teeth into his neck. Words would be easier, but Vladimir tends to have his arguments tossed back at him each time, so he generally does not bother with it anymore.

Another shake of the head, this time to try and 'shake off' some of the fury burning in him, as if that would help any, prior to returning to eating. Vladimir cannot lean down thanks to his master's wonderful choice in seating, but he _is_ able to tear off one of the arms then start biting into that. The best thing he can do right now to prevent fighting is to keep his mouth busy with something else, in this case it so happens to be what he has wanted to do all night while his master insisted on bugging him. The smaller male still is by gently tracing the muscles on his stomach, but Dmitri is silent for the time being.

While Vladimir is no means _well_ muscled, one expects a being whom so is as active and lifts as many things as he does to be in good physical condition. Dmitri is the same way, though to a lesser extent as the smaller male has not spent countless years fighting to stay alive as Vladimir so has. That, and Dmitri is much more laid back in how he hunts and prefers not to flaunt his strength. Somehow, Dmitri still comes out on top when they fight…he still does not understand how one so much smaller, and one that _should_ be weaker, can still beat him each and every time he tries to make a move to dethrone his master. He does not try often anymore, but when he does, it always seems to end the same.

Oddly, on the note of fighting, Vladimir has felt far calmer these past few minutes than earlier around his master regardless of prey being involved. Earlier it was incredibly difficult to allow Dmitri so close to his meal, and yet now it is as if the other male is not here at all…perhaps it is desensitization. Whatever it is, it is refreshing to feel at ease even with his smaller partner close by and currently running clawed fingers along his bare skin. He should be defensive, as _just_ beneath that skin are organs he would prefer to not have ripped from his body, but he does not feel at all alarmed by it.

"Vladimir?" The male in question glances down but does not care to stop biting off a tiny hand at the wrist prior to chewing up the bony appendage. Dmitri laughs, yet again, but does not comment on that in particular. "You never answered whether or not you would be open to having your way with me tonight." Vladimir nearly chokes on what he was _trying_ to swallow but instead ends up coughing up anything he _was_ swallowing along with dropping the arm he was slowly whittling down. Well, he did not put it in some moronic figure of speech this time at least.

Now he will have to find what all he wound up spitting out in the grass, not at all by choice, but Vladimir is easily able to respond to Dmitri once he is done clearing his throat of skin and bones. "I," he shakes his head, "I had assumed it would be you leading if we did such a thing. I am by no means in any position to take you in such a way." That, and a part of him assumed Dmitri was joking around again. To the issue at hand, as much as he hates being second there are rules about things like this and Vladimir will not disrespect his master in such a way unless he is purposely starting a fight…or if Dmitri deserves it.

Dmitri, in a similar fashion to before, waves it off once again as if it were no big deal. "I know, I know, but topping you _every_ time is not quite as entertaining to me. I understand that the stronger or dominant one in a relationship like ours is supposed to mark the weaker one to help prevent said weaker one from being taken by another, but I think we are on far more equal terms by now when it comes to our strength, don't you?" He urges Vladimir's head down by moving one of his hands from the larger male's stomach to the back of the head, then gently pushing. All of that just to brush his lips against Vladimir's own- prior to running his tongue across them in a manner that clearly imitates Vladimir's conduct. "I am still your master, and you my cute little charge, but I want you to make me vulnerable like you did tonight. I want you to force me onto my back and expose my underside to your _ravenous_ fangs and your eager claws; I want to see how you take being completely in charge, just like you always want."

Oh…oh…Vladimir swallows this time, even breaking eye contact despite how weak a gesture that is; his master never speaks like this, not ever. He...is not used to words like those, and without a doubt his body's response to such an invitation does not go unnoticed by the one sitting on his lap. Vladimir licks his lips, cleaning a bit of blood from them, then returns his gaze to Dmitri in order to assess his partner's current positioning and mood. The other's face is still tantalizingly close to his own, though it wears a knowing smirk rather than a cheery smile this time around. As expected, Dmitri did indeed notice Vladimir's most evident sign of interest.

When given such permission, Vladimir finds it rather difficult to not take Dmitri up on such an offer right away, but as the other said it is best they return home first. It is safer, less out in the open, and Vladimir doubts that his master wants to wash that nice jacket of gore that would no doubt end up on it should Vladimir push them both forward. He _still_ needs to finish that meal. "I disagree with being called 'cute' and 'little', but as you probably already have figured, I will take your offer when we arrive at our home." He is struggling to speak now, too, what with his current desire being to bite into his master and make the smaller male cry out for a far different reason.

"I had a suspicion you might, yes." Dmitri hums, keen as ever on pressing his body against his far taller protégé. "Shall we head home, then? Assuming, of course, you are able to make it that far without pinning me to a tree or against the grass. It has been quite awhile since you last…" his witty remarks, if one can call them that, stop around there when he no doubt realizes his charge's eyes keep wandering elsewhere. Dmitri does not bother holding back a rather loud laugh at this one. "My, my! Always thinking with your stomach! Go ahead and eat, my beloved Vladimir, I am more than willing to wait if you are and I will not protest to having more to receive from you once at home. I never turn down a warm meal from you." It had better be by then; it has been out in the cold so long it certainly is not now that Vladimir is eating it.

Vladimir leans down of his own accord this time, giving his master a brief kiss on the cheek with his lips rather than his tongue prior to nuzzling at the same spot. Dmitri smoothes Vladimir's hair at the back of his neck, giving another pleased sigh in response to that kiss which definitely makes Vladimir feel a bit better about trying such a thing more often. "Dmitri, I meant to ask you something else earlier." His master hums questioningly, allowing him to continue speaking without ending up hit again for interrupting. "Your behavior tonight, it is _only_ because it is an impressive milestone in terms of how long we have been together, correct? There are no other less pleasant meanings behind it?"

Dmitri pulls his head away from Vladimir's shoulder in order to allow his protégé to view his raised brow. "Pardon?" Apparently, he does not quite see it the same way Vladimir does. Then again, _he_ has all the thought process behind his actions tonight while the larger male has only seen the end product.

There is no desire to sour their night, especially if they follow through with their plans once Vladimir is finished with his meal, but he cannot shake the feeling of dread no matter how much his hunger and arousal gnaws at him. "It feels sudden, as if you intend to leave in some form or another and are attempting to sort things out with me before doing so. I dislike your constant nagging, your insistence on associating with humans, your foolish rules, and your constant state of irritating me, but if I wanted you gone I would have moved away long ago."

His master's expression softens, and Vladimir has never been as grateful as he is now for his ability to discern lies from truth as his species is so known for doing. The heart betrays all, no matter how hard one tries to keep it from doing so, and blood is a language his kind speaks better than any other. "Has someone done that to you?" Vladimir frowns, shaking his head; not that he is aware of, no. It is simply what came to mind awhile ago when the night continued getting stranger and stranger. "I see…well, my darling Vladimir, I have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon with the sole exception of our home. I will not leave your side, I can promise you that."

A relieved sigh escapes him, easily visible in the frigid air as has been the case all night long; that, so far as he is aware, was his only concern. Vladimir sees fit to try and redirect things back to where they were before, quite easily doing so by leaving a slimy, red trail along Dmitri's cheek courtesy of his watering mouth and the blood from his meal. He would far prefer Dmitri's blood to this human child's, but he would never waste such delicious flesh when he can easily take blood from his master later on.

Gratefully, Dmitri goes along with it and returns his hands to beneath Vladimir's shirt not only curiously feel around his protégé's chest and belly, but to stroke the large male's spine and thus rile up Vladimir further. Dmitri is quite adept at such things, but switches to turning himself around and occasionally snatching cold bits of meat as Vladimir eats; this is likely done more to train than to further entice his charge into responding to his courtship. Sensitive spots are common in both breeds, of course, so for once this is a language Vladimir understands and that Dmitri speaks with surprising fluency.

That said, once their meal is done and they briefly remain seated to clean up their hands and faces, Dmitri does not expect his wrist to be grabbed and is naturally rather surprised at first. His shock melts to amusement when his protégé eagerly cleans his palm and sucks on his fingers, once more showing off the larger male's skillful tongue as he does so. Dmitri turns around once his hand is free to not only show off his own piqued interest by pressing his hips to Vladimir's, but to clean the gore from his partner's lips and chin. No doubt this is done to hurry things along, but Vladimir will not object to such actions this time around.

Autumn has always been a favorite of Vladimir's due to the cool temperatures and pleasant smells, and Halloween always seemed to make it that much better thanks to its endless stream of sweetened meals. It is possible he subconsciously remembered it was in this month he was saved from eventual death by a monster hunter or a smarter beast, but because there is no proof for such an idea, he will consider it due to the aforementioned reasons including food. After tonight, it now also happens to mark a date in which his master and he grew far, far closer than they had first thought possible…though, that said, it will take time for him to become accustomed to constant companionship. Dmitri will be unlikely to want to leave his side after expressing such a grim assumption.

Though far friendlier, there is no doubt they will still fight, and Vladimir is certain his ingrained aggression toward others during certain times where food or numerous other things are involved will no doubt cause problems. At least now he has someone willing to help him through such troubles. His hunting prowess will improve, as it has since his feral years, and his aggression will be channeled to far more important things such as protecting that which he holds most dear.

Dmitri, in all likelihood, will simply be happy to now understand his feelings are unquestionably reciprocated and that his protégé goes about showing such in a far different manner than he suspected. Vladimir, of course, will be far more open to demonstrating to his master how it is that his breed goes about expressing affection for one another. Perhaps, after explaining things in more detail, Dmitri will change his tune on how 'cold' and 'disinterested' Vladimir's behavior is.

-x-x-x-x-x-

[03:26:30] Idiot Anonymous: i also hate summaries  
[03:26:56] Idiot Anonymous: dmitri keeps trying to flirt and vladimir just wants to eat /entire fic  
[03:28:19] Runeslayer: BASICALLY LAUGHS  
[03:28:25] Runeslayer: darnit vlad

Happy (late) Halloween! :)


End file.
